"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Dragon Weather" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

Grandsir?тАЭ Arlian asked.
тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ his grandfather replied, taking a
step toward the ladder, the candle held high. тАЬIt
could be. But I donтАЩt hear any rumblingтАжтАЭ
Then he stopped moving, stopped talking. People
were shrieking againтАФbut this was no game. These
were screams of mortal terror, from grown men and
women as well as children.
тАЬWhatтАЩs happening?тАЭ Arlian whispered hoarsely.
He stared at the ladder.
Then a rush of hot air swept down into the
cellars, flinging long-settled dust into the air in
great swirls; dust stung ArlianтАЩs eyes, blinding him
momentarily. He blinked frantically, and dabbed at
his watering eyes.
Somewhere overhead he heard a tremendous
roaring.
тАЬCome on,тАЭ Grandsir said. тАЬWhateverтАЩs
happening, we donтАЩt want to be trapped down
here.тАЭ He tugged at ArlianтАЩs arm.
Still squinting, Arlian came, staggering toward
the ladder. The doorway seemed much brighter
nowтАФmuch too bright, Arlian thought. He realized
with a start that the wind had blown out the candle
and he hadnтАЩt even noticed at first, so much more
light was spilling down from above.
Hot air roiled about them when they reached the
ladder. Grandsir gestured for Arlian to wait, and
began climbing.
He reached the top and took a step forward, and
Arlian did not wait for a signal, but started up the
ladder himself.
The minute his head cleared the pantry floor and
he could see through the other door he knew why
there was so much more light; the kitchen roof was
gone, torn away, and the kitchen walls were ablaze.
The pantryтАЩs stone walls were intact, but the
wooden ceiling was beginning to smolder and
blacken, and the top shelf on one side was askew.
тАЬWhatтАЩs happening?тАЭ he shoutedтАФhe had to
shout to have any hope of being heard over the
immense roaring that now seemed to fill the entire
world. Hot whirlpools of smoke and air spilled
through the pantry, blinding him anew. тАЬWhereтАЩs
Mother? And Father, and Korian?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ Grandsir said, stepping forward,
arms raised to shield his face against the fire.
тАЬIs it an eruption?тАЭ Arlian shouted.
Grandsir stopped dead, staring.
тАЬNo,тАЭ he said. тАЬItтАЩs not an eruption.тАЭ